Shrimp Coconut Curry Soup

Our family loves Thai food, but not the price tag of eating out. So, like I said in an earlier post, I have been on a quest in the past 2 years to learn to re-create ethnic restaurant quality food at home. I created this soup and it was a definite winner! My husband, who is crazy about Thai food, really oohed and ahhed over this soup.
Note: If you don't like fish, no problemo (sorry I don't know how to say problem in Thai-ese, just Spanish). Just substitute 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced. Sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper and brown them in the olive oil with your onions and red peppers.

Shrimp Coconut Curry Soup
Print Recipe

Serves 6-8

1 lb. cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (I just buy the bag of those cooked, peeled little frozen shrimps at the store. It's actually cheaper than raw shrimp. Go figure. Why it's cheaper for them to cook, peel, and de-vein it for me is a mystery that ranks right up there with why fresh pineapples cost more in Hawaii than they do on the mainland.)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 white or yellow Onion, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
2 cups Water
2 teaspoons Chicken Bouillon Powder, (or 2 cubes chicken bouillon)
2 14 oz. cans unsweetened light Coconut Milk
1 cup Carrots, shredded or sliced thin
1 16 oz. bag frozen Sugar Snap Peas, or 2 cups fresh Sugar Snap Peas
1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce (a large bottle of this can be found @ Walmart in the Asian Food Section, it's cheap.)
2 Tablespoons Red Curry Paste (again, Asian Food Section of your grocery store.)
1 1/2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

4 cups cooked Brown Rice for serving (white works too)

Rinse shrimp to defrost it with warm water. Drain and pat dry. I usually marinate it for a little while before making this in 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, a dash of fresh ground pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. This brings out and improves the flavor of your little shrimps! I just do this the morning I plan on cooking this or like 1 hour before. This is optional.
In a saucepan, heat olive oil. Add red pepper and onion, cook for about 3 minutes til softened a bit. Add water, bouillon powder, coconut milk, shrimp, carrots, peas, fish sauce, curry paste, and brown sugar. Simmer this together for about 15 minutes. Add in the lime juice and cilantro. To serve, scoop warm rice into individual bowls and ladle soup over rice. Garnish with extra cilantro if desired.